A Bun in the Oven

Yes, it's true.  I have one- in my oven, so to speak!  Surprise!  Although this baby was completely unplanned, and such a mystery as to how it happened, we are all thrilled.  Admittedly, the idea of a child did give my husband and I a freak-out moment or two when we first saw the plus sign on the, count 'em- THREE pregnancy tests, but I knew that this had to be destiny.  Only a month or so earlier, quite an unusual thought entered my mind, which I shared with Mike.  You see, I had never really longed for children like many women do- never felt the biological clock ticking or anything like that, and was perfectly content with the thought of being a childless couple.  But out of the blue, I told Mike that if we ever got pregnant, I would want to have it no matter what.  Although that statement was quickly followed by a don't-hold-your-breath-though disclaimer, it seems in hindsight a very interesting premonition.  


So here we are at the beginning of my 2nd trimester, and I have to tell you- my relationship with food has changed.  As expected, odd cravings and repulsions, along with feeling constantly and annoyingly... pukey, my motivations in the kitchen have been somewhat limited to eating foods that are quick to prepare, and (hopefully) easy to keep down.  One of my few wierd repulsions include anything with cinnamon.  This is undoubtedly a terrible time of the year to hate cinnamon, but there it is.  


These sticky buns would most likely make the most amazing cinnamon rolls, if you want to add a couple teaspoons of the stuff (yuck!)... but for my present state of pukeyness, I am omitting.


Side note:  leftover dough can also make a cute bear.  Can you tell that I feel like it's going to be a boy?
...We'll see...

Maple Pecan (Un-Cinnamon) Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

(Makes 12-18 buns)

Dough:

2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast (1 package)

1/3 C. + 1 tsp. sugar

1/2 C. lukewarm water

3/4 C. non-dairy milk (I used soymilk)

6 T. canola oil

1/4 C. Vegenaise

1/4 tsp. salt

31/2 - 4 C. white spelt flour (or all purpose)

Filling:

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/4 C. sugar

1/4 C. spelt (or all purpose) flour

1/2 C. crushed pecans

1/2 C. raisins

2 T. Earth Balance margarine (chilled)

Icing:

1 C. powdered sugar

1/4 C. maple syrup

2 T. melted EB margarine

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Spinz:

In a large mixing bowl, add yeast to the lukewarm water and 1 tsp. of sugar.  Allow it to sit until frothy.  Add non dairy milk, canola oil, Vegenaise, and salt, and whisk together until combined.  Add flour a little at a time until a dough forms.  Add a little more if the dough is sticky- it should become a smooth elastic dough that doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl.  Knead for about 5 minutes.  Cover and set aside to double in size (about an hour).  

For the filling, mix all the ingredients except the margarine, until well combined.  Set aside.  After the dough has finished proofing, punch down and roll out onto a floured surface with a rolling pin until about 1/2" thick.  Sprinkle filling evenly over dough, then cut little pieces of margarine to dot the dough.  Roll carefully and as tightly as possible.  Press to close the end, and cut into 12 even buns.  

Arrange the buns in a prepared baking pan (they can be pretty snug, but remember that they will expand).  Cover, and let sit for another 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Keep an eye on them, as oven temps can vary.  You want the bottoms to be golden, and the tops firm to the touch.  

For the icing, whisk all ingredients together until combined.  Drizzle over warm buns. 

Best when served warm and fresh!


NOTE: You can also freeze the raw roll, thaw, and bake later or refrigerate and bake a few days later.

Ultrasound at 14 weeks... amazing how the little sucker was moving around!  Not so clear in the picture, but we could see the spine, arms and legs, and little heart beating.  We could've watched for hours.

Vegan Spelt Hawaiian Bread

Soft, pillowy, and slightly sweet, this Hawaiian bread has a hint of pineapple and ginger. It's definitely something I miss eating since going vegan, and has been on my husband's wish list since he found out about his mild wheat intolerance. White spelt flour is available at my local natural foods store, and although it can be interchangeable with all purpose flour in some recipes (like this one), it does act "funny" in others.

The "pinch" test...

You know it's Hawaiian bread when it's moist enough to stick to itself!

Although the bubbles look bigger in this bread than the Hawaiian bread from the supermarket, I suspect it's because it has less fat. Despite this, it's still yummy and moist enough to quell the average Hawaiian bread craving.

Makes two of the above loaves.

Ingredients:

1 C. pineapple juice

1 T. dry active yeast

1/2 C. coconut milk + extra for brushing tops (optional)

1/2 C. mashed potatoes (I used cooked yukon gold)

1/4 C. canola oil

3/4 C. unrefined sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry ground ginger

4 1/2 C. white spelt flour (or all purpose wheat)

Spinz:

Put pineapple juice into a small bowl and warm in the microwave to slightly warmer than room temp. Proof the yeast by sprinkling it on top of the juice, and wait for it to get bubbly. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining ingredients: coconut milk, mashed potatoes, canola oil, sugar, salt, and ground ginger until smooth. You may need to use a mixer to get out all the lumps in the mashed potatoes. Once frothy, mix in the yeast- pineapple juice mixture. Sift in the spelt flour and mix until a soft shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down and separate into rolls, placing them about 1/2 inch apart in a casserole dish or similar. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F on center rack for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Eat warm.

Vegan Spelt Date-Sweetened Apple Fritters

These are crisp on the outside, and moist and fluffy on the inside. Great smothered in maple syrup!

I've been gone a long time. No excuses, except that I've been working on a project, which will be revealed in my next post. In the meantime, I've been replacing a lot of my all-purpose flour with spelt flour, since we found out that my husband has a mild wheat intolerance. Did you know that a lot of people have this and don't know it? His symptoms included bloating, slight itch in the throat or mouth, constipation, and fatigue, but there are other symptoms that may arise and they don't always happen right after you eat wheat- which is why it's so hard to diagnose. The only way is to cut out the wheat and see if there's a difference in how you feel.

Spelt is an ancient grain, related to wheat but different. How? You can read an interesting article that explains it well here. Celiacs shouldn't eat it, but people with wheat intolerances have had success with it. It doesn't react exactly like wheat flour, but it can be manipulated to be a good substitute in some recipes.

We've also been cutting down on refined sugar, and I've found dates to be a good substitute. Now, these aren't exactly a health food, as they are deep fried to a golden fatty deliciousness, but I'm thinking you could probably pan fry them quickly, then finish them in the oven to reduce some of the oil.

This recipe makes a big batch- like 2 dozen or more. You can halve it, if you don't want so many.

Ingredients:

(Dry)

2 C. spelt flour (white)

1 tsp. salt

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

(Wet)

1 C. whole pitted dates

1 1/2 C. soy milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 C. chopped apples (about 2 large peeled apples)

Maple syrup for dipping

Spinz:

Heat soymilk and dates in a sauce pan until just boiling. Turn off heat and let soak for about 10 minutes until softened. Sift together spelt flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. Chop the apples in a food processor into small chunks, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Blend the date and soy milk mixture in the food processor until dates are finely minced (make sure to vent the processor if the mixture is still hot). Add the date mixture to the apples, then mix in vanilla. Add the dry mix to the wet until just combined. It should resemble a thick pancake mix- if it's too thick, add a little soy milk. Heat oil to 330 - 350 degrees F. Slide in the batter one heaping tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. If you put in too much, it won't cook on the inside. Brown (a couple of minutes each side), then remove and drain. Keep finished ones warm in the oven if desired. Drizzle with maple syrup.